rollermonkey

Kumba, quite possibly my #1 most desired reride.

OOH, Double Loop! I can't go ride that one this weekend! Oh, yeah, rubbin' it in!

Hey, Robb, I think someone stole your name! http://www.coastercounter.com/topcoastercounter.asp According to that you have 921 coasters!

OMFG! She's on my effin' TRAIN!

I'm going to post my full text TR first, then follow up with a bunch of pictures from my trip. Where: Hamanako Pal Pal When: 6 February 2006, Superbowl Monday! Who: Just me. The weather was a brisk 40 degrees and there was a breeze. Not too much cloud cover though, so it was pretty nice. I took the Shinkansen from Shin Yokohama to Hamamatsu station on the "slow" train. The older trains only go about 185-190 km/h, and stop more frequently than the new trains. About 90 minutes later I arrived at Hamamatsu station and transferred to a city bus. (Stop 1 outside the station.) A little more than 30 minutes later and I arrived at the park. Entry and Free Pass was 3700 yen with a coupon printed online. (Thank you Babelfish!) Mega Coaster looms large over the entrance plaza outside the ticket booths. Before you can ride though, there is a round building with arcades, restaurant and shops. The park has two main areas and to get between them you have to pass through this building and across a bridge over the street. (No, it's not like 6FKK!) Immediately outside the door to the smaller side of the park is the entrance to Mega Coaster, a TOGO looping coaster that, to quote Robb Alvey: "is the result if Manhattan Express at and Viper (6FGrAdv) had unprotected sex." (This description is so sppropriate, I have to give him the credit.) The station is up a rainbow stairwell just above the second story and there are two trains. In pictures I had only seen the blue/purple train, but that day the red/yellow train was running. Out of the station the track turns left and climbs the lift hill. At the top, the train turns left 180 degrees and hits the first drop. It's pretty decent, hitting 51 mp/h and 60 degrees, providing the rear of the train some decent air. The train rises and makes a large fan turn to the right dropping down a straight ramp before rising again up a long ramp and executing a twist and diving at the ground. (It's an Immelman reversed.) Pulling out of the dive, the track flattens out above the go kart track and makes a 270 degree left turn, rising enough to pass through the center of the first inversion. The track levels out again and enters a series of rings that provide the support for the heartline roll. Next, the train passes through nearly 720 degrees of downward helix before popping up into the brake run. While nowhere near as rough as Manhattan Express, (or Viper based on other's experience) this coaster isn't super smooth. It is definitely re-rideable and a pretty decent experience. It's completely unique experience is definitely a draw for die-hard coasterphiles. Next, I rode the go karts to get some more shots of Mega Coaster and looked at the flats on this side of the park. There was a kiddie flume, a Zamperla Baloon Race, a motion simulator, a car-go-round and what appeared to be a Huss Flipper themed to Football (US type) named Super Bowl! So despite not being in front of a TV, I still got to watch the Super Bowl on Super Bowl Monday. (Time zones mean the Superbowl is shown live Monday morning in Japan.) Next, I rode the parks Mini Coaster. This is one of those weird coasters that doesn't know what it wants to be. It has Model T shaped cars with wild mouse seating. The track looks like Arrow, and the layout has no switchbacks or air hills. In general, these turn out to be boring for a jaded guy like me, and this one proved to be no exception. I rode Mega Coaster again before crossing to the other side of the park. Once on the other side of the bridge, there is a nice looking row-building that house some typical midway games, but being indoors in a park that's open year-round is a nice touch. After looking in at the games, I tried my hand at a simple shooting dark ride. I thought I was doing pretty well, but when I got off, I discovered that I didn't have enough points to get a prize. Moving on, I climbed the hill to the park's Caripro Batflyer named Batflyer. Such originality! A standard single model, at least the brakes weren't 'rack-your-nuts' tight. Either that or I've learned how to ride these defensively. (I actually think it's the first one.) Next, I passed a carousel and what looked like a 4-sided frog hopper with a crab / tide pool theme, (Huh, a jumping crab?) and tried the park's fun house. I entered, not knowing what kind of attraction was inside, as the attendant knew no Eigo (English) and I don't know enough Nihonji (Japanese). Not amazing, but not terrible, with shrinking rooms, trick doors, a mirror maze and a cage maze with rubber bars. There was a walk through spinning room that didn't start spinning until I tripped a beam and the sudden change in perception actually knocked me off balance! After exiting I told the lady that the phrase for what the attraction was fun house and she had me write it down so she could memorize it! I continued up to the top of the hill to take Ferris Wheel Photos, passing up on a well-themed mini-parachutes ride, flying elephants and pedal monorail. After the wheel, I proceeded down the hill and past the show amphitheater and the oddly named park train: Food Train. At the bottom of the hill I passed the summer only lazy river, speed slides and a single water slide. Next to that were some upcharge boat rides including jet boats, fan boats, pedal boats and a party barge. Proceeding along, I rode the fouth and final coaster in the park, Jungle Mouse. It looks like an old Herschell but is from one of the older Japanese ride manufacturers. This coaster sits in what looks like used to be a pool, making for a weird appearance. Next up was the park's Log Flume. With Splash Mountain (MK) style boats (2 across seating, 4 rows) and a large windshield, I felt confident I wouldn't get too wet. A decent length and a figure-8 layout weren't the odd part of this ride, but the chain lifts on a log flume was definitely pretty unusual! I didn't get wet, and I wasn't terribly impressed either. I rode the spinning boats ride, because I'd never seen one before, then made my way past the Red Baron, Mini wave swinger, ball house and a Zamperla version of the Huss Nightwing at 6FNE. I looked at the brochure for the Organel Museum that the large ropeway takes you to from inside the park across the lake (included in the admission), but I opted to grab a bite to eat and take a couple more spins on Mega Coaster and catch an earlier train home instead. In all, the park was very clean, nicely themed, (although Jungle Mouse desperately needs a paint job) the staff was friendly and efficient. In other words, it was like most Japanese amusement parks that aren't Nara Dreamland! One last look back as I ride away from the park in the bus. I think I lost her. OMG! Pala you're a psycho! Hey, look there's someone on Megacoaster, and it isn't me! What the heck are you doing in the Men's bathroom? The Ferris Wheel here is less meatnormous than at other parks, but it is on top of a hill, so it looks pretty big. This is the cable car station to the Organel museum. Look at all the plants! Pretty. Look, Pala, stop following me, OK? Since no TPR PTR in Japan is complete without a picture of Don and Katsu in Taiko Drum Master! Um, Can I help you, Pala? Check out the amazing Jungle theming on the Jungle Mouse! Here's the flume's runout, the cable car, and a flat from Zamperla. Is Wildstorm onbe of the model names? Oh, Hello again, Pala... The park's flume had Splash Mountain (MK) type logs and this odd combination lift hill. I took a ride on those spinning boats Elissa hates, and I ran into Pala again. Too bad there was a 4-person minimum. And then I saw the boats... At first I thought this was funny... They do like to stack rides here in Japan, even if they don't have to. That's Helicopters over Teacups if you can't tell. There was a decent selection of flats, check out the themed parachute drop. 4 sided, crab themed frog-hopper, anyone? I took a ride on the Ferris to get some pics. This chick named Pala got in my gondola. That's when the day got weird! Robb, your train is here! (JK, It's actually the ACEr Express.) Oh, It figures. Hey, look! It's a Batflyer! What's the name of this one? Megacoaster: This is my evil clone, I will call him: Minicoaster! (Evil laughter.) I got to see the Superbowl in person! (Is this a HUSS flipper?) I got to ride the never-before-seen red train! From the left: Twist and dive, kiddy flume and first drop of the day. Ooh! Look at all the pretty colors! Wait, 4G's?!? What am I waiting for? Let's go ride that TOGO freak of nature!

I'm at 445 after my trip to Hamanako Pal Pal.

Not looking to start the whole 'is it a credit' war all over again. Based on HOWEVER you count your coasters, what's your current count? I guess if you want, you can post your exact number after you vote...

^Woah, dude! Don't believe everything you read on the internet! For some reason, Duane's site (That's RCDB) is difficult to edit, as opposed to making additions. That phrase has been there since late December/ early January. If you look at the pictures, they were taken on 29 January, AFTER he put in that statement. The ride is still there as far as anybody knows, just not open for operation.

^ But you live in Buffalo! Canada's hardly a foreign country to you!

Speaking of healthier alternatives, I'm going to walk over to McDonald's in a minute for lunch. I'm definitely having some of the 'new in Japan' cheese-potato puffs but I don't know if I want a BLT burger or an Italian chicken sandwich with that. Anybody want to join me?

The throughput losers are X and Deja Vu. Those are the first two to hit if they are open. (They also have reliability issues.) Superman's next, and the rest are pretty good, as long as multiple trains are being operated, which supposedly is the norm again. The park is a big circle, and after Tatsu opens, there should be ways through the middle again. The typical recommended route is X, Deja Vu, then continue to circle the park. Viper, Superman and now Tatsu will all be in the middle, and you could do them after Deja Vu. Once Tatsu opens though, these guidelines might all go away, as no one knows how well 6FMM will be able to operate the B&M Flying train loading procedures yet.

^Has been to Graceland < Hasn't been to Graceland \/ Says grace before eating. Anything, or anybody.

No, I'll be working, but I wouldn't watch it anyway. Do you know how much wood a woodchuck could chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

"The Nth Degree" Morningwood (M O, M O R, M O R N I N G, W O O D, Let's Go!)

I ate SPAM for the first time last month. It's always been a part of the morning meat rotation of the standard Navy breakfast, but I never felt the desire to try it. I even lived in the land of SPAM, Minnesota, for two years without ever trying it. So finally I broke down, figuring if it was terrible, the company couldn't possibly stay in business this long, right? WTF? That stuff is disgusting! Hyper-salted ground pork? What's to like? Never again, thank you! Now, Eggs Benedict, on the other hand...

Having visited 41 countries and lived in Japan, Bahrain and Italy while in the US Navy, I'd say that I would choose in descending order of desirability: 1. Australia 2. Canada 3. USA 4. Japan 5. Italy Language really is a huge factor when making a selection like this, and yeah, I think I'd rather live in the great, white north than the ol' US of A.

The Don Quijote store that this was built on is in a neighborhood called Aoyama. My wife says that the Ropponggi subway station is the nearest station to it. When I first heard about it, it was still under construction, and I was out to sea. When I got back to Japan, the news was already out about the noise complaints from the neighbors. (The store got permission from the city, but didn't inform the local neighbohood groups.) It is unknown if the ride ever opened to customers, or if the noise complaints arose from the testing phase. I will be getting up there sooner or later, but every time I have been about to go check it out, I get an update from someone or other saying it's still SBNO, so I go somewhere else instead!

On 29 January it was still SBNO. One of these days I'll catch a train up there and look at it myself. I figure eventually, something has got to happen. Of course, I'm hoping it opens, but who knows?

If you are credit whoring, and it sounds like you are, it is concievable that you could ride all of the OPEN coasters at 6FMM in one day. Deja Vu is currently in rehab, but should be open by the dates of your trip. Revolution is down due to the construction of Tatsu. This should also be done by the time you get there. Flashback is SBNO (standing but not operating) and has been for a few years. There are rumors that it may reopen this year. If all 17 coasters are up, running and the park isn't crowded, you could get on all of them in a single day. I think that you are planning a 2-day stop there is wise, as it makes it more likely that you can get all the credits and allows you to do other things like breathe, eat and possibly get on some of the few flat rides or reride a coaster or two. I can't believe that after all these years, 6FMM is becoming a 2 day park! (Hopefully it isn't because of loading times!)

I got to go to Pokemon: The Park 2005. It was within walking distance of Nagoya station, and I saw it a few times before I mixed it into a day with Suzuka Circuit and Nagashima Spaland. It really wasn't all that special. There were a bunch of kiddy flats, a ferris whel and a Zamperla dragon powered coaster, all with Pokemon theming. There was some areas for kids to play, and it was all way overpriced. 5 bucks for a dragonwagon? C'mon. Those are my pictures on RCDB. The idea of them bring this to the states surprises me, I thought Pokemon was finally dying out. (The movies have done progressively worse, the last barely made 10 million.)

^ Darn Japanese. Who wouldn't want a rollercoaster operating withing 50 feet of your apartment windows? Sheesh.

Senyo Kogyo is primarily a ride broker, selling rides from other companies to Theme and Amusement parks. They do occasionally build some rides, too. Those stickers are EVERYWHERE over here!

I'll send you an e-mail right now, Robb!

The parks don't open until 10, and they close at 5 or 6. I figure traffic would be worse after the parks close, but then I'm not so worried about making good time!

Two things: One, the park has been moved within TJ sometime during the winter after November. There was a second sister park from further south (Ensenada, I believe) that was closed down and the parks have been combined into the new larger location. Verify your directions carefully that they are to the new location. Two, You can take a rental car into Mexico, but you must inform the rental company in advance and obtain written permission from the company. I have done this before while stationed at Naval Station 32nd Street. Not all rental companies offer the option, so ask around. It will cost you more as you will be required to purchase separate Mexican auto insurance because the US insurance will not cover the car while it is in Mexico. Good luck, and don't get arrested! (By the way the folks I know who did visit the park in January said that it was pretty ugly and the rides were pretty scary.)